Paula Deen's Lean: Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia

Well folks, it is officially fall! This time of year is my favorite! The weather is just perfect, football is in full effect and all the leaves are starting to turn. But one of the best parts about this time of the year...the food! Nothing tops walking into the house and being greeted with the sweet smell of apple or pumpkin pie. Something about it just instantly puts me in such a great mood. To create this sweet smell in my kitchen, I chose to bake Paula Deen's Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia.

GRANDGIRL'S FRESH APPLE CAKE FROM GEORGIA
Serves 16 to 20


INGREDIENTS

CAKE:
PAM Spray, for greasing the pan
2 cups SPLENDA
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups UNSWEETENED APPLE SAUCE
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples

TOP IT OFF:

Vanilla LIGHT ice cream or FROZEN YOGURT
SUGAR FREE caramel toppingDIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.

For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the SPLENDA, eggs, apple sauce, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples into batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

When you are ready to serve, cut a slice and top with a scoop of LIGHT or FAT FREE vanilla ice cream. Then lightly drizzle caramel topping. Cake is best when served warm. If eating later, reheat a slice in the microwave for about 20 seconds before topping with ice cream and caramel.

THE OUTCOME:

Take away all the sugar and oil, and it is still a really tasty treat. The ice cream and caramel top it off perfectly. It makes a great dessert, but is also a good compliment to your morning coffee (without the ice cream...or with).

Just for fun, I figured the amount of fat I was saving just by substituting apple sauce for the vegetable oil. Get ready to be shocked!

For the entire recipe...

Veggie oil- 336 grams of fat/ 2,880 calories
Apple Sauce- 0 grams of fat/ 150 calories

When my sister, husband and I did the math on this, we could not believe it! A simple change like substituting apple sauce for oil had saved such a significant amount of fat and calories. Plus, it still tasted great! Try out this "sinless sweet" for yourself and let me know what you think. ENJOY!!

Paula Deen's Lean: Chicken Boudine

At a loss with what to do with left-over grilled chicken? How does a creamy, noodle-y, cheesy chicken dish sound? It sounded like the perfect solution for me and that is why I chose to make Paula Deen's Chicken Boudine. With an $8.00 trip to the grocery store, I was able to make a delicious, nutritious and filling meal that was plenty for dinner and enough for lunch the next day. Cheap and healthy...it doesn't get much better than that! And as a mother, I also love that it is "kid friendly" too.


CHICKEN BOUDINE
Yields 10 Servings



INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup drained, chopped pimentos
2-1/2 cup grated 2% sharp cheese, your choice, divided
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup FAT FREE chicken broth
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans 98% FAT FREE cream of mushroom soup
2 cup cooked NO YOLK noodles (a substitution for Egg Noodles)
Salt and pepper


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, soup, broth, and sherry. Add the chicken, 2 cups of the cheese, pimento, mushrooms, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to a greased 13-by-9-by-2 inch casserole and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.


Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.


RESULTS
My husband and I were really happy with the results of this recipe. It was a great use of the left-over chicken, which otherwise we may have just let sit in the fridge and go to waste. It is always fun when you can take something from one meal and use it to make something totally different! I will let you know that the grilled chicken was seasoned with a Cajun spice, which probably altered the flavor a bit. In my opinion, you could use plain grilled chicken and it would still be awesome! ENJOY!!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving): 219.3 calories;  6.74g fat;  14.23g carbohydrate;  26.52g protein;  .93g fiber

Paula Deen's "Already" Lean: Black Bean Salsa

Salsa, salsa, salsa! One of the best-tasting, naturally healthy foods out there. Believe it or not, even Paula Deen makes a healthy version of this fantastic condiment. Whether you decide to serve it up with grilled chicken as your main course or with tortilla chips as an appetizer, salsa is a healthy treat that is best when made fresh from the kitchen. Paula Deen's Black Bean Salsa was a great addition to our tailgate this weekend in Blacksburg (GO HOKIES!) and I am sure you will find the perfect time to make it too!

BLACK BEAN SALSA
12 Servings



INGREDIENTS:
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 17-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
1/8 to 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl. Cover and chill overnight. Taste and add salt, pepper, or more lime juice as necessary. Serve with baked tortilla chips as an appetizer, or with grilled chicken breast as a meal.


I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you like your salsa to have a little more of a kick, you could always add some chopped jalapenos. It would definitely up the "hotness" factor, without adding tons of extra calories. ENJOY!!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving): 312 calories;  4g fat;  55.2g carbohydrate;  17.3g protein;  13.4g fiber